


Dressing For Victory

by Johnny_Law



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-13
Updated: 2016-06-13
Packaged: 2018-07-14 19:26:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7187021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Johnny_Law/pseuds/Johnny_Law
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Allura decides to hold a formal banquet to celebrate the victories of Voltron and the paladins. A piece of shipping fluff.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dressing For Victory

Dressing for Victory

So far so good was about as good as they could put it. So far so good. They had been winning more than they’d been losing, fighting off Galran ships, defeating Galran monsters, and in doing so they’d really come together as a team. They could even form Voltron at will now.

It was a good feeling. A great feeling, to be moving as a single unit.

And it was why she’d felt bad about keeping her secret. Pidge had never meant for the lie to go on so long, but once it had started, finding the right opportunity to tell everyone never seemed to come up. She’d worried how they would react. Would they be angry, would they feel betrayed or lied to, would they treat her differently if they knew her as Katie instead of Pidge?

It turned out she had been worrying for no reason. Nothing had changed. Pidge was still Pidge, even she thought of herself as Pidge more than she did as Katie these days. Not as a boy, exactly, but as one of the boys. A brother-in-arms, a paladin of Voltron. And that’s how they had treated her, even if they tripped on a pronoun or two. Just the other day Hunk had called her a great guy before getting caught up correcting himself. It was no big deal, more funny than anything else.

She certainly hadn’t changed anything about herself. She kept her hair short because it was practical to keep it short. She kept the glasses because they were her brother’s glasses. She kept the clothes because, well, she didn’t exactly have a spare set. No one had packed any luggage before getting flung to the furthest reaches of the known universe.

And she wished she had now, because Allura had decided that, to recognize their growing string of victories against the Galran empire, she would host a traditional Altean banquet. Which meant fine dining, fine clothes, and a strictly followed protocol expected from a paladin of Voltron.

Coran had taken charge of the boys, presenting them all with finely tailored suits, all white except Shiro’s, and trimmed in the color of their individual lions. Double breasted jackets, tight fitting trousers, tall black leather boots. He’d brought them all to the fitting room to get changed.

Pidge blushed a little at the sight of Shiro, already changed into his handsomely cut suit, broad shoulders filling the black double breasted coat, the trim in threaded gold. He looked the hero of a story, with his lock of white hair standing in hard contrast with the black of his suit, the scar across his face seemingly at odds with his warm smile and kind eyes. He looked like what a paladin should look like.

Of course it wouldn’t take a graduate of the academy long to dress, and do it rightly, so he waited on everyone else in a companionable silence.

The others were still getting changed in their changing booths, calling back and forth to each other as they struggled into their formal wear.

“I’m telling you Coran this shirt is too small,” Lance yelled from behind his screen, “You got the measurements wrong, you got them wrong!”

“I did no such thing,” Coran stood by the door with hands behind his back, standing straight with chin high, brows raised. “The measurements were exact from the first time you entered the castle. I’ve got scans to prove it.”

“Woah, woah, you’ve been scanning me?” Keith’s voice climbed in outrage.

Coran’s moustache flickered, his eye twitched. “Just the once, and it was an automatic process. For all the castle knew you could have been a Galran infiltrator. We’d look pretty silly if we didn’t run rudimentary biological scans on everyone that crossed our threshold.”

“Maybe you got fat,” Keith said from the booth next to him. The sound of Lance knocking something over was clear.

“If I did its because I was in that stasis pod! I keep a tight ship y’ know, a good pilot needs to stay in shape,” Lance shot back.

“Okay, so maybe you got fatter,” Keith replied, to Lance’s frustrated snarl.

“Alright guys, enough of the fat jokes,” came Hunk from his own changing booth.

Pidge couldn’t help but grin at the bickering. It was constant, it was frequent, and she usually joined in, but she couldn’t muster it today. She saw Shiro was smiling too as he waited for the other boys to finish up, leaning by the doorway, arms crossed and legs out. He had a way of never seeming uncomfortable, always relaxed, always calm.

“Are you going to get changed too Pidge?” Coran asked, nodding to her own suit. It was the same as all the rest, in cut and shape, though measured for her size. It was also clearly meant for a boy. It lay next to her across the bench she sat on, and she rubbed the white cloth between her fingers. It really was nicely made, but…

“Is something the matter?” Coran stepped forward, tugging at his mustache, “You know that’s the official formal dress of a paladin of Voltron.”

“Yeah, I know,” she said, “But, isn’t there a version for a girl?”

“Why would they need a version for a girl?” Lance called out, followed by a grumbled ‘damn buttons’. Pidge bared her teeth with an eye twitch. A full tick later he added ,“Oh yeah, right.”

Coran straightened his collar as he drew on his vast and extensive knowledge of Altean lore. “There have been women paladins in the past, that’s true, heck, there have been male paladins that just preferred dressing up like women. But not in a while, not that I can remember off the top of my head anyway. If you’d like I can whip you up something, but it might take a little while.”

“It’s okay Coran, this is fine,” she said, forestalling him with a hand.

“Or,” Shiro stood up, stepped forward, “You could ask the princess. I’m sure she can find you something suitable.”

Pidge bit her lip then looked up at Shiro. He looked down at her, understanding in his eyes.

She nodded. “Yeah, I think-I think I’ll go see Allura,” she said, hitching up off the bench.

“Well alright,” Coran said as she dashed past him, “But I’m really a talent with a thread and needle, you’re really missing out. I won ‘mister thimble-thumb’ three years in a row during my days at the academy.” The last he said to her back as she ran out of the room, down the long corridors of the castle.

She turned a corner into the main hall of the castle, leapt up the tall grand staircase three flights at a time.

It wasn’t far to the princess’ chamber, and she stopped in front of it with a puff. Rapped a knock on the surface.

“Who is it?” Allura’s voice came even as the door began to open, and Pidge caught a look of her fastening a golden earring that dangled a little golden bell. The princess smiled at the sight of Pidge in her doorway. She was already dressed in regal attire, though she rarely wore anything less, in whites and blues to match the castle. Her arms were sleeved in long gloves and she wore a string of silver beads across her neckline. For all the heavy coats of her dress Allura crossed the distance between them with astounding swiftness.

“Oh Pidge, I’m so happy you’ve come,” she said, taking her hands , “Are you looking for something to wear for the feast?” She loomed over Pidge, face drawn close, grin wide. She even smelled like a princess was supposed to smell, perfumed and clean.

“Umm,” Pidge nodded, “Yeah, if you have anything.”

Allura drew back to consider Pidge, and she wilted under the taller woman’s eyes. They couldn’t have been more different. Pidge, short and skinny, covered in grease more often than not, dressed like a young boy and talked like one too. Allura, tall, graceful, and always elegant with such a proper way of speaking. She didn’t think she had ever seen Allura with a hair out of place.

“Well I might have something,” she said, “A dress from when I was younger. I hope you don’t mind.” Allura whisked away to explore her wardrobe.

Pidge crept into the room, looking from wall to wall awkwardly. The door closed sharp behind her. She had never been in Allura’s personal room before. It looked about as much as she’d expected. A large double sized bed that looked lush and fluffy, a dresser with a tall mirror littered with jewelry boxes, and built in wardrobes that could house a small family, the depths of which Allura was furiously plumbing.  
With nothing to do but wait, Pidge took a seat on the side of the bed. She caught a look at herself in the mirror, hair sticking out at odd ends. Maybe she could invest in a hairbrush at least. Back home she kept her hair in check with a simple plastic headband, but she wasn’t sure if her hair was long enough to warrant it.

The little mice, Allura’s ‘friends’ popped out of a jewelry box to look over Pidge. The fat one squeaked at her and she grinned, put out her little finger to poke his belly.

“Hey little buddy,” she said, rubbing his soft belly fur. The mouse collapsed with a happy sigh under her gentle brushing.

Allura returned with dress in hand, a light summer dress that was pale blue. “Oh don’t spoil them,” she said with clear affection, sent the mice scampering with a brush of her hand. Then she held up the dress for Pidge’s consideration. “What do you think?” she said.

Pidge stood up, held the cloth of the dress against herself as she considered her reflection. Her brow crinkled up. It was nice, but not quite right.

“Do you have one in green?” she asked. Allura smiled, and rubbed the fabric under her palm. Pidge blinked in surprise as the colour changed from light blue to a forest green, spreading out from Allura’s palm until it had dyed the whole dress.

“Better?” Allura stepped away, beaming down at the girl.

Pidge grinned at her reflection. “Yeah, heaps.”

-

With the green dress went white gloves that came to her elbow, white stockings, and black heeled shoes. Pidge wobbled a little on her first step, but was slowly remembering how to walk in heels that, by the third, she felt as if she wouldn’t immediately tip over. Allura had insisted she wear a little jewellery, a simple silver diadem that held back her hair from her face, and a silvery light chain as a necklace. She had been very generous with her jewellery box, and had fussed over every option as if it were a life or death decision.

She had taken off her glasses, leaving her face feeling strangely bare, almost naked.

When they were done Allura held her by the shoulders, standing behind her as they looked into the mirror. Pidge blushed at the sight of herself. The heels brought her nearly up to Allura’s height. The light summer dress skirted her knees, hanging from noodle strings off her shoulders. Over this Allura buttoned a white cape-like shawl, which she smoothed against Pidge’s shoulder.

“You look amazing,” Allura said, and gave her a peck on the cheek, “Thank you for letting me help. I was ever so hopeful we could have a chance like this, just us girls. Now, shall we go and see what the gentlemen think?” That put an unpleasant squeeze in Pidge’s belly. For a second she thought she might be sick, but she gave a nod, and Allura offered her arm.

They walked together to the great hall, and hand in hand came to the top of the stairs. The boys had already assembled in the hall bellow. All of them except Lance at least, and they looked smart in their pressed uniforms, their fitted double breasted coats. All of them looked up at the sight of her approach.

Coran cleared his throat, straightening up from where he had been chatting with Shiro. Shiro clasped his hands behind his back.

“Presenting her royal highness, Princess Allura, and her honour, Paladin Katie Holt.” Coran bowed.

They stared up at her and she stared back down.

It was Hunk that started with a snicker, which made his belly roll under his formal clothes. He put a hand to his mouth to try and stop it, but it was infectious, and Keith soon caught it. Even Coran started to laugh. ‘Why are we laughing?’ he mouthed to Shiro between fits of giggling, but Shiro just kept his eyes on Pidge, face still.

Pidge though, she couldn’t keep the hot flash of anger from filling her up. “What’s so funny?” she snapped as she and Allura walked down to join them.

“Really, this is most unbecoming,” Allura added, a disdainful look for the other paladins.

“I’m sorry,” Hunk said from around a giggle, grasping his knees as he was bent double, “Really, I’m sorry. You just look- you look-“

“Like such a girl,” Keith choked back a laugh, wiped at a tear.

“I am a girl!” Pidge snapped, jabbing Keith hard in the chest.

“Yeah, but, you aren’t a girl like Allura is a girl,” Keith said, raising up his hands, still grinning but no longer giggling. “You’re more of a-“

“You look lovely,” Shiro cut in, stepping toward the girls. Keith snapped his mouth shut and coughed, bowing his head as he regained his usual composed expression. “You look very beautiful Katie.”  
Pidge’s face went warm as she looked up at him.

“What’s all the laughing about, did Hunk lose a button? I told him he’d lose a button,” Lance had his eyes closed, fussing with his cravat as he strode into the great hall, dressed and groomed, hair handsomely coifed. “Oh and Keith, before you start I haven’t gone fat, if anything I’ve just put on some muscleee-” The syllable dragged out then dropped into silence as his eyes fell on Pidge.

She glared up at him, waiting for it, daring him to laugh too. She waited, and waited, and waited, and as she waited she felt a nervous flutter in her stomach.

He just looked at her, stare broken by a blink. Why was he looking at her like that? The flutter in her belly grew harder, unpleasant.

“Well?” she asked.

“Uh,” he said, face slowly growing a bright red. Her own face turned hot.

“Get it over with,” she said, tapping a foot impatiently. “Come on Lance, get it out of your system.”

“Get what out of my…?” his eyes flickered over to Shiro, who covered his mouth with a hand as his eyes crinkled in amusement, then Allura, then over to Keith and Hunk. When Pidge stepped forward he took a step back.

“No jokes?” she asked, stomach clenching, heat rising up inside her, “Not even one?” She thought she might start shaking. Why wouldn’t he just get the usual barbs out of the way so they could go eat? Why was he staring at her like that?

“I, uh…” he looked down at her, a visible lump formed in his throat, “Is there something funny going on?”

“Oh for God’s sake Lance,” she stamped her foot and nearly slipped for the trouble. He reached out to grab her but her glare held him back. She gave a frustrated noise as her throat clenched up. “You’re impossible!” She threw up her hands as she marched away, shoulders bunched up and head stuck forward.

They watched her leave. Hunk, Keith, Shiro and Lance, all a little confused but none more confused than Lance.

“What was that about?” Keith said.

“You do something to make her mad?” Hunk asked. They stood at either shoulder behind their friend, giving him a judgmental look.

“Me?” Lance pointed to his innocent face, “No, what? I don’t know.” He looked back the way Pidge had marched off, feeling a weird flutter in his stomach. He felt a little dazed.

Why hadn’t anyone told him she could look so cute?


End file.
